Bed foundation

Abstract

A plurality of foundation sections are interlocked with releasable latch devices to form a mattress support. The foundation sections include two center sections that are shorter than end sections to enable the center sections to be packed within the end sections. Side members can be releasably connected to the center sections to complete the foundation. The foundation sections can be stacked and placed within a container having a size within the shipping limits of the United Parcel Service.

I claim: 
     
       1. A foundation for a bed comprising: a first end member, a second end member, and a pair of center members, each of said members having a generally horizontal support surface providing a support for a mattress, means releasably connecting the end members to the center members to hold the support surfaces aligned with each other, said means being releasable to allow the members to be separated from each other, the means releasably connecting the end members to the center members comprises a plurality of releasable latches mounted on adjacent surfaces of the end members and center members, each latch having a base secured to one adjacent surface, the base having at least one outwardly directed tab, a retainer secured to opposite adjacent surface, the retainer having a groove adapted to accommodate the tab thereby ensuring proper alignment of the end members relative to the center members, and a latching member pivoted on the base and engageable with the retainer to lock the base and the retainer together, longitudinal and transverse support means mounted on the members to support the end members and center members and maintain the alignment of the support surfaces, and bracket means releasably accommodating the support means to mount the support means on the members, said support means being releasable from the bracket means to allow the end members, center members and support means to be separated from each other. 
     
     
       2. The foundation of claim 1 wherein: the center members each have a size smaller than the size of each end member. 
     
     
       3. The foundation of claim 1 including: hinge means connecting the base to the latching member, the hinge means movable between an expanded position and a contracted position to allow the latching member to engage the retainer and lock the base and retainer together. 
     
     
       4. The foundation of claim 1 wherein: the support means comprises transverse support means extending between the center members, a first longitudinal support extended between the first end member and the transverse support means, and a second longitudinal support extended between the second end member and the transverse support means in axial alignment with the first longitudinal support. 
     
     
       5. A foundation for a bed comprising: a first end member, a second end member, and a pair of center members, each of said members having a generally horizontal support surface providing a support for a mattress, means releasably connecting the end members to the center members to hold the support surfaces aligned with each other, said means being releasable to allow the members to be separated from each other, longitudinal and transverse support means mounted on the members to support the end members and center members and maintain the alignment of the support surfaces, said support means comprising transverse support means extended between the center members, a first longitudinal support extended between the first end member and the transverse support means, a second longitudinal support extended between the second end member and a transverse support means in axial alignment with the first longitudinal support, and bracket means releasably accommodating the support means to mount the support means on the members, the bracket means comprises a plurality of U-shaped brackets having upright sides and a base secured to the end members, center members and transverse support, each support having opposite ends, each end being located between the opposite sides of one of the brackets with a friction fit and engageable with the base, said support means being releasable from the bracket means to allow the end members, center members and support means to be separated from each other. 
     
     
       6. The foundation of claim 5 wherein: the bracket means includes a first U-shaped bracket secured to one side of the transverse support, and a second U-shaped bracket attached to the opposite side of the transverse support adjacent the first bracket, the first and second brackets holding adjacent ends of the first and second longitudinal supports in longitudinal alignment with each other. 
     
     
       7. The foundation of claim 5 wherein: each end member has a diagonal length, each support has a length shorter than the diagonal length of each end member. 
     
     
       8. A foundation for a bed comprising: a first end means and a second end means, center means joined to the first and second end means, each of said end means and center means having a generally horizontal support surface providing a support for a mattress, transverse support means mounted on the center means, first longitudinal support means extending between the first end means and the transverse support means, second longitudinal support means extending between the second end means and the transverse support means in longitudinal alignment with the first longitudinal support means, first bracket means mounted on the end means to releasably support one end of each longitudinal support means on the end means, second bracket means mounted on the center means to releasably support the transverse support means on the center means, third bracket means mounted on the transverse support means to releasably support the other end of each longitudinal support means on the transverse support means to hold the support surfaces aligned with each other, said first, second, and third bracket means each comprises a plurality of U-shaped brackets having upright sides and base secured to said end means, center means, and transverse support means, each support means having opposite ends, each end being located between the opposite sides of one of the brackets with a friction fit and engageable with the base, and means releasably connecting the first and second end means to the center means to hold the first and second end means, center means, longitudinal support means and transverse support means in assembled relation with each other and allow the end means to be separated from the center means, whereby the end means, center means, and support means can be separated from each other. 
     
     
       9. The foundation of claim 8 wherein the center means has a size smaller than the size of each end means. 
     
     
       10. The foundation of claim 8 wherein: the means releasably connecting the first and second end means to the center means comprises a plurality of releasable latches mounted on adjacent surfaces of the end means and center means, each latch having a latch base secured to one adjacent surface, a retainer secured to an opposite adjacent surface, and a latching member pivoted to the latch base and engageable with the retainer to lock the latch base and retainer together. 
     
     
       11. The foundation of claim 10 wherein: the latch base has at least one outwardly directed tab, the retainer having a groove adapted to accommodate the tab thereby ensuring proper alignment of the end means relative to the center means. 
     
     
       12. The foundation of claim 10 including: hinge means connecting the latch base to the latching member, the hinge means movable between an expanded position and a contracted position to allow the latching member to engage the retainer and lock the latch base and retainer together. 
     
     
       13. The foundation of claim 10 wherein: the end means and center means each have a cover surrounding each adjacent surface, the latch compressing the cover when connecting the adjacent surfaces together to prevent gapping between the surfaces. 
     
     
       14. The foundation of claim 8 wherein: each end member has a diagonal length, each support means has a length shorter than the diagonal length of each end means. 
     
     
       15. The foundation of claim 8 wherein: the center means comprises a first side member, a second side member, and a pair of center members, first latch means releasably connecting the center members to the first and second side members, and second latch means releasably connecting the first end means and the second end means to the side members to form the support. 
     
     
       16. The foundation of claim 15 wherein: the means releasably connecting the first and second end means to the center means comprises a plurality of releasable latches mounted on adjacent surfaces of the end means and the side members. 
     
     
       17. The foundation of claim 15 wherein: the transverse support means comprises a transverse beam extending between the side members, the first longitudinal support means comprising at least one first longitudinal beam extended between the first end means and the transverse beam, the second longitudinal support means comprising at least one second longitudinal beam extended between the second end means and the transverse beam in longitudinal alignment with the first longitudinal beam. 
     
     
       18. The foundation of claim 8 including: cover means fitted over and removably mounted on the support. 
     
     
       19. A foundation for supporting a mattress comprising: first end section, a second end section, and center means joined to the first and second end sections to form a rectangular support for a mattress, the center means comprising a first side member, a second side member, and a pair of center members, first latch means releasably connecting the center members to the first and second end sections, second latch means releasably connecting the first and second end sections to the first and second side members, each latch means having a base secured to one of the members, the base having at least one outwardly directed tab, a retainer secured to an opposite adjacent member the retainer having a groove adapted to accommodate the tab thereby ensuring proper alignment of the end sections and center means, a latching member pivoted to the base and engageable with the retainer to lock the base and retainer together, support means mounted on the end sections and the side members for longitudinal and lateral support of the end and center sections and side members, means secured to the end sections and side members for releasably supporting the support means on the end sections and side members, the center sections and side members each having a size smaller than the size of each end section. 
     
     
       20. The foundation of claim 19 wherein: each end section, side member and center section has a cover surrounding each adjacent edge, the latch means compressing the cover when locking the adjacent edges together to prevent gapping between the edges. 
     
     
       21. The foundation of claim 19 wherein: the support means comprises a transverse support extending between the side members, at least one first longitudinal support extended between the first end section and the transverse support, and at least one second longitudinal support extended between the second end section and the transverse support in longitudinal alignment with the first longitudinal support.